Maasai
(most common name in Tanzania)
(local/other name in Kenya)

(most common name):
• Masai (Kenya)
(transboundary/brand name):
• Masai (Kenya)
(local/other name):
• East African Shorthorned Zebu
• Tanganyika Shorthorn Zebu (TSHZ) (Tanzania)

Maasai cattle are found in southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. The spelling ‘Maasai’ is preferable because both Kenya and Tanzania use it for their cattle, as do the Maasai people, and most research references.

The Maasai is a Small East African Zebu.

The Maasai, in both Kenya and Tanzania, is kept by a Nilo-Hamitic tribe named Maasai whose life revolves around their cattle. It was during the 17th century that the Maasai people migrated into Kenya and settled south of Lake Turkana (formerly known as Lake Rudolf, located in the Kenyan Rift Valley and known both as the world’s largest permanent desert lake and largest alkaline lake).

The appearance of Maasai cattle can vary quite a bit mainly due to a centuries-old tradition of stealing cattle from other tribes. This activity increased dramatically after almost losing all of their cattle to rinderpest, famine, drought, smallpox and the jigger flea during the late 19th century. Maasai cattle mostly live under semi-arid climatic conditions and trek long distances in search of water due to inadequate supply.

The last Masai population count in DAD-IS for Kenya was in 2007 with 1,500,000 total and 675,000 breeding females.

The last Maasai population count in DAD-IS for Tanzania was in 2017 with 3,000,000 total and the average herd size was 50.

This page was last updated on: 2024-07-05

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